Holiday Hazards

ASK A VETERINARIAN... about holiday season hazards…
Is chocolate toxic?Yes, chocolate contains theobromine which can be lethal for your pet. The most common presentation of “chocolate toxicity” is stomach upset from all the fat and sugar that was eaten along with the chocolate in the food item. However, theobromine poisoning presents in a similar manner: vomiting and diarrhea are usually the first signs that owners notice within a couple of hours of chocolate ingestion. At higher doses, theobromine causes extreme excitability and nervousness which may progress to seizures and ultimately death if enough of it was ingested. I have only treated dogs for chocolate/theobromine toxicity. Unsweetened baking chocolate contains the highest concentration of theobromine and is therefore the most toxic - a mere 3 grams of it ingested per kilogram of dog can be lethal. Dark chocolate, found in many of the boxed candies, is slightly less toxic and about 9 grams of it ingested per kilogram of dog is considered toxic. Milk chocolate, though the least toxic, can still be lethal especially in smaller dogs. Toxicity is likely if 25 grams of it is consumed per kilogram of dog.If your pet consumed chocolate contact your veterinary clinic. Even with treatment, it can take up to four days for the effects of theobromine to wear off. There are no long term effects.
How can ribbon, tinsel or string be harmful?These are seen as toys to playful cats who will chase, pounce, chew, and unfortunately sometimes swallow these long strands of indigestible material. These long strands get snagged in the gastrointestinal tract and cause the intestines to bunch. When the intestine can be bunched no more, the material begins to cut through the intestines as they continue in vain to try to push the “linear foreign body) through to the colon. Death is imminent and surgery is not always successful in saving these kitty cats.
Are Poinsettias poisonous? No. It is irritating to the mouth and stomach of the cat or dog that eats it. The plant is not, as commonly believed, poisonous since the irritation immediately limits consumption.

Dr. Jeffrey Person practices at the Delton Veterinary Hospital and co-hosts the listener call-in show Pet Talk, heard every Sunday morning at 7a.m. on AM630 CHED.